The ways of Magic, Spell Design Options

[dreddwulf1]

Has anyone found a reason why it would be either difficult to create a spell for flight? I see nothing in either case, but would like some other opinions. Anyone?

[Seth]

Levitate seems to actually be flight, and at high force it goes quite fast.

[Aarakin]

The levitate spell already does the job. You can move the object in 3 dimensions.

Edit: ninja'd by Seth

[Snow_Fox]

As people have pointed out 'levitation' works just fine but my guess is you're thinking of 'faster than a speeding bullet' type stuff and what to do when that parachute fails.at a guess, I owuld say it's because of the laws of physics. Levitate affects how far you are from a surface like a roof or the ground. The more powerful the spell, the further from that surface you cvan get but to be roaming over the city or landscape you're (a) way the heck up or (b) the surface you're above is alternating so violently that you're in trouble. I mean following small dipsi n the road is one thing but if you're levitating from the roof of a 10 story building and suddenly over the street, some 110 feet below you're going to drop that distance with a mind jarring rush.

a real flying spell would have to focus on wither the distance above sea level or be tied to something other than the distance to the biomass. since eastern dragons fly, without wings, clearly there is a way to do it but that has not been discovered yet.

[Dahrken]

Levitate affects how far you are from a surface like a roof or the ground. The more powerful the spell, the further from that surface you cvan get

Where did you get that idea from ? As far as I can tell from the wording of the spell's description there is no such limits, the only limiting factors are the speed of the movement, the weight the spell can lift and the need to maintaint LOS with the levitated object - whihc is agiven if you levitate yourself.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Levitate affects how far you are from a surface like a roof or the ground. The more powerful the spell, the further from that surface you cvan get but to be roaming over the city or landscape you're (a) way the heck up or (b) the surface you're above is alternating so violently that you're in trouble. I mean following small dipsi n the road is one thing but if you're levitating from the roof of a 10 story building and suddenly over the street, some 110 feet below you're going to drop that distance with a mind jarring rush.

Really? Do you have anything to back this assertion up with, because I have never interpreted the Levitate spell in this manner. It is an odd interpretation to say the least...

[dreddwulf1]

Thanks for the input! The reason I ask has to do with the fact that levitate is an Line-of-Sight spell, not specifically for flight but can be used that way. I wanted something a little more specific (and maybe a little faster). As for physics, I haven't read anything that disscusses such things, though some of it might apply. "Faster than a speeding bullet" is not my goal, but faster would be nice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif) Besides, the spell design rules are there for SOME reason, right?

[Laesin]

If you're wanting a personal flight spell then all thats needed is Street Magic pp 159-164. In this case adding Very restricted target (Caster only) to the levitate spell gives you Flight with a DV of (F/2)-1.
This doesn't directly give you more speed but lower base drain means you can use a higher force fairly safely.

[Machiavelli]

Besides that, i don´t see that there is a restriction to enhance the speed a little bit. A personal version does not only restrict you to be levitatet by yourself (no other persons), you also lack the ability to move objects. But if you get trouble with your GM, simply use the common levitation in addition with the movement power of a spirit...and whoooops....superman.

[Sephiroth]

Where did you get that idea from ? As far as I can tell from the wording of the spell's description there is no such limits, the only limiting factors are the speed of the movement, the weight the spell can lift and the need to maintaint LOS with the levitated object - whihc is agiven if you levitate yourself.

She seems to be saying that levitate works by propelling you upward using some sort of force applied to what you're standing on. Sort of like riding on top of a super-tall pole attached to wheels at the bottom; if your wheels drive off a roof, they're not on a surface anymore so they and you fall until they are on a surface again. As you and Tymeaus have pointed out, this interpretation is not supported by the rules mechanics of the spell (and I don't think it's even necessary from a physics standpoint either).